Cupcakes for Clara

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

~ inspired by SouleMama

a creatively slow afternoon

Earlier in the week I woke up to a horrible migraine, which left me unable to do much more than lay on the sofa. But with two little ones eager for my attention I had to come up with something simple to occupy both of them whilst I tried to feel better. 

So enter a huge roll of paper, a box of crayons & a packet of stickers...

Perfect!

And it kept them occupied for almost an hour. Hurrah! 

the most awesomest picture books ever

I'm guest posting over at Sister Spooky's lovely book blog today, all about my top ten picture books. I didn't think it would be so tricky to choose just ten, but it really was! I decided to go with my top ten right now, inspirational gorgeous books that I want to buy for everyone!

And as my top ten picture books are posted over there, I thought I would share a video of Matilda "reading" from one of my choices - Don't Dip Your Chips In Your Drink, Kate by Caryl Hart & Leigh Hodgkinson over here...

Leigh Hodgkinson is one of my favourite illustrators ever. Her work is just gorgeous, and as you'll see on her blog she's opening her very own shop really soon. Squeal! 

And I thought you might like the links to some of these fun activities from a few of the books on my list...

- A Don't Dip Your Chips collage sheet and colouring sheet from Caryl Hart's website. 

- A Monkey & Me door plate from Emily Gravett's website.

- Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear match also from Emily Gravett.

- Hello Tilly activities from Walker Books.

- A whole host of games on Charlie & Lola's own website.

- Catherine Rayner's website is well worth a peek. I may have accidentally bought two of her illustrated cards whilst I was browsing!

I hope you enjoy reading my top ten picture books... do you have any favourites that aren't on my list?

brainstorming

Tom and I had an exceptionally nice morning yesterday when we dropped the little ones off at my parents house, and we snuck off for a couple of hours to have a brainstorming session at a local coffee shop. It was just what we needed after a week of poorliness.

A chance to chat and inspire each other with giddy ideas for Clara & Macy, Tom's latest book, and 2012 in general. 

I always come away feeling better about myself and more inspired than before. And usually remembering that I can do what I dream of. It's all about perspective I guess.

As I've written in my notebook up there, this weekend's lesson was very much to remember my strengths. Not to get bogged down in the things I find so difficult I don't enjoy them, and to work in a way that lets my very best qualities, my uniqueness, shine through.

A good lesson, don't you think?

I'm excited to develop new products, to sketch out book illustrations, and to explore my own way of working. Finding the bravery to do it in my own style, and not to feel overwhelmed by everyone elses amazing work. 

Let's not let those tricky things get in our way when we work, let's remember our strengths and focus on them. So here goes...

- I'm Laura, I'm terrible at drawing perspective but I'm pretty good at drawing stroppy characters and giving them awesome clothes.

You see, it really is okay not to be good at everything. 

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

~ inspired by SouleMama

slowly sketching

In very tiny snatched moments between nursing a poorly boy this week, I have been working on a new greetings card illustration. 

Everything I'm working on at the moment is half finished, laying on the dining table waiting to have another five minutes work done on it. I'm still very much finding my way with illustrating, and don't yet feel that I can really say I'm an illustrator. When people ask me what I do, I usually give some bumbling answer that most probably doesn't make any sense. But maybe I'll get there by the end of the year!

I'm excited to design more greetings cards, and might even offer this one as a full size print. 

I'm still pondering how to colour the floor though (any ideas?), so with that and my feverish baby, it may be a while. 

snapseed

Poorliness has struck. Not one, but two little children with fevers, chills & extreme snuggling needs. 

So today, I bring you a super simple post with some of my experiments with the Snapseed iphone app. Have you tried it yet? I love it. It's a really great photo editor, full of effects and filters that can transform your pictures right there in your phone. Perfect! 

And even more excitingly they have just released Snapseed as a desktop app too. 

Not bad for phone photos huh?!

P.S. I might feature a few more of my favourite apps in future blog posts, hope you don't mind!

a slow sunday

I've spent most of this weekend hibernating in bed thanks to some kind of stomach flu. But thankfully I'm starting to feel a little better, and so I thought I'd share a couple of things with you.

Thank you SO much for your kind words about Colin - I am thrilled that you like him. I can't wait to start introducing Colin products to my line-up.

These carrot-y gift labels are now available in the shop. Along with some grumpy Clara ones too.

 I've made a couple of promises to myself lately including...

- take better product photographs

- learn as much as I can from those around me 

- ignore feelings of failure

- have better divisions between work time and family time

- don't be afraid of making mistakes

And how about some links...

- Did you see my AMAZING feature on Oh My Handmade Goodness? I am so unbelievably thrilled with it.

- And my Clara paper dolls have been featured in the Etsy Spring Lookbook 2012. Squeal! They have produced an online version this year, so you can take a peek - it's really beautiful. 

- Look at these gorgeous apple stationery printables. So pretty, and totally free.

- Another lovely printable - perfect for list makers, from Life Made Lovely.

- These lunchboxes are awesome. I dream of making Matilda such great lunchboxes when she starts school, but alas I doubt that I'll ever be that organised! Still, we can dream!

I hope you've had a good weekend lovelies, here's to a bright and breezy week ahead.

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

~ inspired by SouleMama

the boy who collects snails

Meet Colin. Colin Montgomery to be exact.

Colin is my new little boy character, he's Clara & Macy's next door neighbour, and I've fallen head over heels in love with him!

I'm tentatively working on a range of products for little boys (even though boys are a bit yucky!), and this little chap is the basis of them. Starting with dress-up dolls, you will *hopefully* be seeing a lot more of Colin in 2012.

Suddenly I feel as though a whole new world has opened up to me - full of snails, paper planes, forts and tweed clothes. 

I won't be leaving Clara & Macy out though, don't worry (not that miss bossy pants would ever allow that anyway), rather I'm expanding and most likely giving Clara someone else to be a little bit mean to!

It's very much a work in progress, but so far I know that Colin...

- collects snails

- has a baby sister called Martha

- likes peas, much to Clara's disgust

- is a bit scatty

- has a pair of binoculars he's made from two toilet roll tubes

What do you think? Can you warm to a boy as cute as Colin? And more importantly, can Clara?!